While it's possible to do a great scene with no suggestion whatsoever, or one based on a single word or phrase, we often want to have our improv inspired by richer source material. Some of the most comedic improv formats in the world involve scenes based on rich source material like a monologist's story, an audience member's online dating profile, or a viral video projected for the cast and audience to watch.

Rich source material allows us to create comedic ideas that, while improvised, will immediately ring as familiar and accessible to the cast and audience. Improv that the general public can understand and enjoy? What a concept!

When we have a clear comedic idea that we want to explore in a scene, we typically initiate with a premise - a line or two of dialogue which includes all of the information required to start the scene: our who/what/where and an unusual fact, detail or point of view that we wouldn't expect. By starting with a premise and building towards a game, we are able to find comedy quickly and efficiently, and have a great time in the process!

This 8-week workshop will be taught by Adam Kangas, creator of TIC's longest-running premise-based show, The Remix. The hope is to give players the tools necessary to understand and perform great premise-based improv, and to inspire participants to pitch new premise-based shows for the theatre's roster.

Topics covered: 

• Show structures using monologues, world news articles and viral videos as source material
• The three types of ways to pull ideas from source material
• Slicing "thick" vs "thin"
• Initiations with clear character and premise
• Position Play recap - identify and play the 3 common comedic scene types
• Character "why" - want, perspective and detail
• "The Hand Thing" - visual metaphor for how game manifests in a scene
• Heightening a game via side support
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